Excellent debut Novel from the very talented Cate Ashwood, a story of tortured hearts and selfless love… and I couldn't put it down 4.25 luscious stars.

When I read the blurb on a book and it mentions gay porn… you can be assured it will end up on my reading list, and I picked this book up to read today and couldn’t put the damn thing down! There is great character development, the sex is most definitely sizzling and cold shower worthy, the story kept me riveted and engrossed plus this is a debut novel for the talented writer Cate Ashwood and all I can say is Cate – this is an excellent start and well done, I can’t wait to see what you have to bring us next.

Phil, Evans stepfather is a drunk, the very same thing that had taken his Mother from him. Now Graduation was nearly upon Evan, Phil is ready to Kick him out of house and home to fend for himself and not soon enough in his verbally abusive opinion… Bastard!! Despite this Evan was self motivated and wanted to succeed and dreamed of being a Marine Biologist, despite the fact he had never seen the ocean, so he worked hard to gain a scholarship to university but he still needed a job to sustain himself. When he see’s an advert for Adult Modelling, Mmm… in other words porn, for a few weeks on location over the summer he applies. But even though Evan was a mature 18 year old, he was still naive and innocent, a virgin in anything intimate including sex and kissing and checking out the website leaves him more than a little afraid but also tempted by the gorgeous Noah who will be present for his interview.

Brandon Court at 27 had been in the Adult Industry for 10 years. Noah Conway was his on screen persona, one he separated himself from when not working… Jaded with the life and certainly not needing to do it for financial reasons he is thinking of retiring. When Evan and Brandon meet, it is lust at first sight for both of them, for Brandon, Evan is the perfect twink, young and innocent and the boy had an effect on him that was totally throwing him off balance and threatening his usual detachment. Evan is awkward and obviously lacking in self confidence especially when it comes to anything sexual, but he connects in such a way with Bran that he makes him feel at ease and he trusts him more than he has trusted anyone.

Evan and Bran’s first time together was perfect, they were totally consumed with each other, it was beautifully intense and slowly sensual with Bran pouring all the lust, passion and love he felt for Evan into taking the upmost care and making it special… and for Evan that is exactly what it was. Evan had lit a fire within Bran that could never be extinguished and the ice surrounding his heart had already melted. For Evan, Bran made him feel cherished and loved something he had never experienced even when his Mother had been alive… and every fibre of his being was calling out to Bran.

For all Noah’s confidence and his sexual predators charisma in front of the camera, Brandon was insecure and lonely, he thought the only thing in life that he had ever succeeded in was fucking... and that was not something you wanted on your CV! Brandon was in a hopeless puddle of lust over Evan and his body was yearning for something his mind was telling him was a big, No, No. And being impartial and distant was going to take all his strength.

These two men are broken and damaged and all they need is a little communication to find true happiness with someone they love, but it wouldn’t be a novel of any worth if we didn’t have a little misunderstanding and lack of communication! Evan who had been starved of love and affection all his life, now craves human contact and all the feelings and emotions that have been absent in his short life… even the hand of friendship was something unfamiliar to him and he wants Bran, no one else will do, his heart will not allow it. Unselfishly Bran doesn’t want Evan to have the stigma of firstly being with someone much older than him and secondly that the person is a washed up porn star. He feels Evan is still too young, he has his education and his whole life before him and what he feels for Bran is merely a crush. Loving Evan had shone a glaring light on the fact that his whole existence had been meaningless, sad and lonely, before he’d met him, but his conscience will not allow him to waver.

I loved both our MC’s and we also had an insight into some of the other porn stars that were on location at the house and I am wondering if Ms. Ashwood may be picking one of them up for a future novel!?! My only grumble was the conversation at the beginning felt a little uncomfortable, stilted and for me it didn’t seem to flow but later on in the book it was fine. Other than that it was an excellent read. Oh and the title of the book Keeping Sweets, if you are thinking it a little odd, Bran’s pet name for Evan was Sweets, not one of my most favourite endearments, but he was sweet.